A few hours before the show, the Grammys faced yet another controversy. This time around, it’s about those who have felt the direct effects of this tragic past year.
The “In Memoriam” segment is in question now that the annual tribute has excluded hundreds of legends of the music industry. With over 800 musicians lost last year due to COVID-19, The Grammys had a daunting task to include everyone
The touching special segment chose to honor performers like Kenny Rogers and Little Richard. However, The Academy failed to include some important figures in music that were behind the scenes.
First-time executive producer for the Grammys, Ben Winston said, “There is a sad number of people who should be featured in the show,” He said. “The ones not featured are mentioned in some way within other Grammy outlets, their website and elsewhere”
For those more directly affected by the losses, this wasn’t good enough. One of the most notable exclusions from the live show was the composer and pianist, Lyle Mays.
During his career, Mays collected 11 Grammy wins, 23 nominations, and the record for most nominations in the Jazz category. The snub prompted many to take to social media to sign a petition. Within 24 hours, over 7,249 people have signed to have the legend featured.
Unfortunately, The Academy overlooked the request. This may have been due to the bad timing and coordination, but as of late, the Grammys have been slipping up. From snubbing The Weeknd’s record-breaking album to this, their newly appointed management has a lot to get used to.
